Board-setting instrument.



.Patented Dec. 23, |902,

s. mcHoLLs, sn.V BOARD SETTING INSTRUMENT.

(Application med June 18, 1902.

(Nu Model."

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL NIOHOLLS, SR., OF KENESAW, NEBRASKA.

BOARD-SETTING INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,465, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed .Tune 18, 1902. Serial No. 112,248. (No model.)

To all whom, it may con/cern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL NIcHoLLs, Sr., a citizen of the United States,residin g at Kenesaw, in the county of Adams and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Board-Setting Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to board-setting instruments designed for placing and holding boards in their proper position while being nailed.

While the present instrument is intended primarily for use in laying flooring, it will be evident that it can be employed in applying siding and for other analogous purposes.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide simple mechanism by means of which the hoard to be nailed can be forced tightly against the board next adjacent and held until fastened, said mechanism being constructed so that its operative relation with the board held will be insured and said board will be clamped tightly down upon the beam or joist to which it is to be nailed.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, though it will be evident upon an inspection of the claims that the structure is open to change and modication.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tool or implement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing it in use. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through one of the beam-engaging jaws. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the bearing-arm. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the same.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In this embodiment of the invention beamclamping mechanism is employed, which is in the form of levers 10, pivotally connected intermediate their ends by a bolt 1l. The upper ends of these levers are formed into handles 12, and one is provided with a ring 13, the other having a hook portion 14, arranged to engage within the ring,whereby said levers may be held in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower portions of the levers are formed into jaws 15, these jaws each having an opening 16 therethrough that is provided with a countersink, as 17. Teeth are fitted in these openings, said teeth each comprising a shank portion 1S,that is passed through the opening 16, a roller portion 19, fitted in the countersink thereof, and a spur 20,which projects beyond the inner face of the jaw. The teeth are held in place by nuts 21, threaded upon the rear ends of the Shanks. This structure is fully illustrated in Fig. 4. The spurs 2O of the teeth therefore project from the opposing inner faces of the jaws and are arranged directly opposite each other.

In connection with the abovedescribed beam-clamping mechanism a board-engaging head is employed,which is preferably,though not necessarily, constructed of sheet metal, and consists of a web portion 22, having an upstanding neck 23, this neck being provided at its opposite side edges with spaced ears 24, that embrace one of the levers and are pivoted thereto by means of a bolt, as 25. The other end of the web has a depending iiange 26, provided with a longitudinally-disposed tongue-receiving groove 27, located in its outer face. This flange, furthermore, has a suitable nail passage or opening 28. Abearin g-arm 29 is also pivotally connected to one of the levers, and for this purpose it has on its inner end a pair of spaced ears 30, which embrace said lever, the ears being pivotally attached thereto by the bolt 25,which fastens the board-engaging head. The arm 29 is eX- tensible and contractible, and is therefore constructed of telescoping sections 3l, nor

.mally held against movement by suitable bolts, as 32. The outer end ofthe outer section carries depending lips 33, between and to which is journaled a roller 34. The opposite end of the arm has a curved metal sprin g 35, which bears against the adjacent face of the lever and normally urges the arm 29 to a depressed position. It will be observed that the ears 30 of the arm are located within or between the ears 24 of the head and that their lower edges rest upon the upper edge ofthe neck 23. A holding-dog 36 is pivoted to the rearmost lever and has its lower free end sharpened, as shown at 37, so that it will engage the beam or joist, this end being'located in a vertical plane between the jaws 15.

The manner of using the implement will be IOC obvious, especially upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. The timber or joist is indicated at 38, the board already nailed at 39, and the board to be fastened at 40. The board 40 is laid upon the joist, and the jaws of the implement are placed on opposite sides of said joist. Upon closing thelevers it will be evident that the spurs of the teeth will be embedded in the joist; but the beam-clamping mechanism can swing freely because said teeth are journaled in the jaws. The flange of the board-engaging head is then placed against the edge of the board with the tongue of the latter in the groove 27, and at the same time the bearing-arm projects beyond the iiange 26 of said head with its roller 34 resting upon the upper surface of the board 40. It will therefore be evident that upon forcing the levers forward the rear edge of the board 40 will be pressed tightly against the adjacent edge of the board 39, and the implement is held in this position by the dog 36 engaging the joist, all of which is shown in Fig. 2. The bearing-arm 29 rests upon the upper edge of the neck 23 of the head and holds said head in depressed position, so that there is no danger of the board and head assuming an angular relation to each other or buckling Furthermore, the free end of said arm bearing upon the board assists in holding it down. Therefore when the board has been finally clamped in position it will not only be forced against the one next adjacent, but it will be firmly pressed down upon the joist. A nail may then be driven through the board so clamped into the joist, the opening 28 being formed for this purpose. As a result it will be seen that a comparatively simple implement is provided which will perform all the functions noted in the preliminary portion of the specification.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art withlout further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an instrument of the class described, the combination With beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engaging head pivoted to the clamping mechanism,a hearing device pivoted to the clamping mechanism and engaging the head to hold the latter in depressed position, and yielding means for urging the bearing device into said engagement.

2. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engaging head pivoted to the clamping mechanism, an arm pivoted to the clamping mechanism and resting upon ing upon the head, and a spring carried by the arm to urge the same into engagement with said head.

4. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engaging head connected therewith, and a bearing-arm attached to the clamping mechanism, said bearing-arm projecting beyond the board-engaging head and being arranged to bear upon the upper face of the board operated upon.

5. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engaging head movably mounted thereon, and a bearing-arm pivoted to the clamping mechanism and resting against the head, said arm projecting beyond the head.

, 6. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engagin g head movably mounted thereon, and a bearing-arm pivoted to the clamping mechanism and resting against the head, said arm projecting beyond the head and having a bearing-roller on its projecting end.

'7. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism, of a board-engaging head movably mounted thereon, and an extensible bearingarm pivoted to the clamping mechanism and resting against the head, said arm projecting beyond the head and havinga bearing-roller on its projecting end.

8. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism comprising pivotally-connected jaws having teeth on their opposing inner faces, of a board-engaging head pivoted to the clamping mechanism, a y'bearing-arm also pivoted to the clamping mechanism, a spring carried at the inner end of said arm and bearing against the clamping mechanism, said arm resting against and projecting beyond the board-engaging head, and a roller journaled upon the outer or free end of the arm.

9. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism comprising pivotally-associated levers having beam-engaging jaws at their lower ends, of a board-engaging head comprising a web portion having spaced ears at one end that embrace and are pivotally connected to one of the levers, and a flange located at the other end of the web portion and having a tongue-receiving groove in its outer face.

10. In an instrument of the class described, the combination with beam-clamping mechanism comprising pivotally-associated levers IOO IIO

having beam-engaging jaws, said jaws being In testimony that I claim the foregoing as provided with openings therethrough having my own I have hereto affixed my signature in to eountersinks, of teeth having Shanks which the presence of two Witnesses.

pass through the openings in the jaws and 5 being provided with rollebr enlargements that SAMUEL NICHOLLS SR' fit in the countersin ks thereof, said teeth pro- Witnesses: jecting from the inner opposing faces of the C. ARMSTRONG,

Jaws. GEO. GoLLE. 

